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< Back CET TRIO NOTCH WINS IN FIRST ROUND OF WVGOBA JUVENILE Stan Pawloski Sep 12, 2022 Three Imark Kennel sprinters posted victories Friday afternoon in the first round of the $35,000 West Virginia Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association Juvenile at Wheeling Island. Heading into the Wednesday, Sept. 14, second round, CET Barracuda, CET Fernando and CET Marlin have each accumulated 15 points on the strength of their first-round victories to top the leader board. The semi-finals are set for Sunday afternoon, Sept. 18, and the stake final is scheduled for the Friday, Sept. 23, matinee card. Capsule looks at the first-round races follow: CET Barracuda took the early lead and never looked back in winning by 1 ½ lengths in 29.69. CET Moto Moto finished second while LFR Lucky Clover got up for third. CET Fernando rocketed to a commanding early lead and never challenged in posting a 7 ½-length win in 29.76. Mac’s Monreaux and CET Tiger Boy rounded out the trifecta ticket. CET Marlin closed in the stretch to overtake frontrunner Arroyo Roxanne, winning by 2 ½ lengths in 29.94. CET Sashaliagotti completed the trifecta finish. Points after the first-round follow: CET Barracuda (Imark), 15 points CET Fernando (Imark), 15 points CET Marlin (Imark), 15 points Arroyo Roxanne (Code Red), 10 points CET Moto Moto (Steve Sarras), 10 points Mac’s Monreaux (A Ray), 10 points CET Sashaliagotti (Steve Sarras), 7 points CET Tiger Boy (Steve Sarras), 7 points LFR Lucky Clover (Rangel), 7 points CET Foxy (Steve Sarras), 5 points CET High Ball (Steve Sarras), 5 points LFR Lucky Seven (Rangel), 5 points CET Piranha (Imark), 3 points JA’s Goal (Code Red), 3 points Mac’s Davin (A Ray), 3 points CG’s Boy Blue (Code Red), 2 points Previous Next

< Back GF LA DUENA EARNS 2019 TOP GREYHOUND HONORS AT WHEELING Stan Pawloski Jan 21, 2020 The queen is king. GF La Duena reigns. Since coming to Wheeling Island from Tri-State Greyhound Park in June 2018, the Patriot/Taplin Kennel star has been the queen of the 330-yard distance and arguably the best 3/16th sprinter ever on the Wheeling Course. In 2019, GF La Duena strengthened her superiority with a racetrack-leading 32 victories. GF La Duena’s accomplishment earned her top greyhound honors at Wheeling Island for 2019. She is the first 330-yard racer in the history of Wheeling Island racing to capture the track win championship. For Patriot/Taplin Kennel trainer Joe Otto, GF La Duena is the third track win leader he has been associated with at Wheeling Island. He trained Mi Nice Catch (31 wins) for Majestic Kennel in 1997 and was an assistant to Don Corey when Stage Door Ace (29 wins) raced out of the Steubenville Kennel in 1989. “It’s quite an honor to train a track win leader because it doesn’t happen very often. (GF) La Duena had a fantastic year of racing and I am very proud of her,” Otto said. “I wasn’t surprised … she was winning at that rate when she came to Wheeling in 2018, so if she stayed healthy I thought she could have a pretty good year. She’s a bundle of energy.” A June 2016 greyhound out of KC And All-GF Sister Karen, GF La Duena was a mark of consistency throughout the year. In addition to her 32 wins, she had 7 seconds, 4 thirds and 3 fourths in 49 starts – an 87 percent mark in the trifecta and a 94 percent mark on the superfecta ticket. All of her races were against Grade AA or TAA company.“In a race where it’s all about the break, her numbers are amazing. If she gets the lead early, she usually draws away,” Otto noted. “If she breaks in the pack, she still can rush to the front. She’s very good at looking for spots, finding a hole and hitting it fast.” The Tom Salem-owned GF La Duena had a knack of stringing victories together. She had a pair of six-race, a four-race and a trio of three-race win streaks in 2019. “Long winning streaks are so hard to do at any distance, but especially 330,” Otto said. “A greyhound has to hit the break every time out, not coming from behind at that distance.” GF La Duena started 2019 with 14 straight trifecta finishes before her streak was halted. After finishing out of the money once, she came back and hit the superfecta in her next 15 races in a row. Owner Tom Salem was thrilled by GF La Duena’s stellar performance. “I couldn’t be any prouder. You don’t find too many greyhounds like her,” Salem said. “She’s been steady since coming to Wheeling and you know she’ll give a solid effort every time out.” What does 2020 hold for GF La Duena? “Hopefully she has another great year,” Otto said. In 69 career 3/16th starts at Wheeling Island, GF La Duena has 46 wins, 10 seconds, 6 thirds and 4 fourths. While GF La Duena topped the leader board with 32 victories, 31 other greyhounds won at least 11 races in 2019 at Wheeling Island. The 2019 Wheeling Island win leaderboard and kennel follows: 32 – GF La Duena (Patriot/Taplin) 25 – L’s Griz (Blanchard) 19 – L’s Luv It (Blanchard), High Wire Willy (Blanchard), JS Drinkmepretty (Lester Raines), DS Bubbles (Xtrem Hess Racing) 17 – JSK Roulette (Jacobs Racing), Kelsos Ukulele (Lester Raines), RS’s Kingofkings (Lester Raines) 16 – Mac’s Glightfoot (A Ray), AMF Bystander (A Ray), Barts Sugarsnack (Charter) 15 – BGR Whysoserious (Brad Boeckenstedt) 14 – Super C Action (Lester Raines), Imark Solo (Imark) 13 – Jay’s Roxy (Patriot/Taplin), CTW San Marcos (Abrahamson), BRC Chillbump (Xtrem Hess Racing), JS Rich The Kid (Rangel) 12 – For The Birds (Blanchard), Vicki Of Ruckus (Blanchard), BGR Da Crazy One (Brad Boeckenstedt), WW Slick Move (Wayne Ward), Barts Walk Away (Charter), Imark Grande (Imark), Dolla Signs (Jacobs Racing). 11 – ZB Tremonti (Lester Raines), Barts Sand Shark (Charter), Barts Skiptomylu (Charter), GR’s Breeze (Blanchard), DS Gypsey (Xtrem Hess Racing), PJ Boogie Bear (Rangel). Previous Next

< Back RAINES/HOOPES "KEPT HOPE ALIVE" IN HOUND MADNESS STAKES Shane Bolender Apr 12, 2021 And then just one remained. Trainer Monte Hoopes had a chance to make it an “all Lester Raines” championship race in the “Hound Madness” Stakes finale on Friday evening, but super pup CRAIGIE DELEGATE was bested by PAT C RAM ROD (Gloria Dorsey Kennel) in the semi-finals. He kept hope alive though with a fast little female named appropriately, JS KEEPHOPEALIVE as she bested ALADDIN (A Ray Kennel) to set up not only your typical one on one matchup, but a male versus female gender duel as well. After dodging most of the thunderstorms in the area up until the 13th race championship, the contest occurred under a “fast track” with only some spurts of light rain occurring. While most of the betting money was placed on PAT C RAM ROD, the crafty 60 pound red fawn female used a quick burst from the #6 post position to grab a quick two length lead entering the first turn. As it turned out, she would need almost the entire length of that early lead at the finish line. PAT C RAM ROD was known to have a tremendous late kick and most everyone thought he had enough to catch just about anyone. That started becoming apparent entering the far (and final) turn as the early lead nearly evaporated as the duo entered the homestretch. As simple as it seemed, one easy move made by JS KEEPHOPEALIVE proved to be a championship winning move. The speedy girl kept tight to the inside part of the track while PAT C RAM ROD floated a bit towards the mid portion of the track. That brief pad to her lead helped her survive her rival’s late rush again near the wire. She won by a mere neck worth of distance, or three hundredths of a second. It was enough to earn Monte Hoopes and the Lester Raines Kennel the first stakes race championship of the season and her backers at the pari-mutuel windows doubled their money on her as an extra treat. JS KEEPHOPEALIVE is owned by Shannon Henry and Lester Raines. Previous Next